Dr. Joseph Rella, the superintendent of the Comsewogue School District, shares his concerns.

Dr. Thomas Troisi, the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for the Valley Stream Central High School District, asked the panel if encouraging kids to opt out was going to hurt them in the long run, which Dodge vehemently denied.

“I think we’re hurting kids, and school teachers and school systems as much by encouraging children and parents to opt out,” Troisi said.

“It’s time for civil disobedience,” Dodge responded. “Whether you believe it or not, it’s time for us to say no.”

In Seaford, the district sent a letter to Chancellor Merryl H. Tisch on Dec. 13 sharing concerns about the new implementation.

“The positive aspects of the Common Core Learning Standards initiative have been marginalized by the short timeline given for their implementation and the grossly inequitable and inadequate dissemination of financial resources to school districts charged with these responsibilities,” the letter said.

Superintendent Brian Conboy said, if students opt out of the state tests, they are allowed to sit and read quietly.

In December, the Wantagh School District passed a resolution asking state leaders to scrap the program, emphasizing that it focuses too much on testing for evaluation.

"The Wantagh School District believes that the current focus on standardized test scores and the amount of time spent on testing negatively impact our students’ educational experience," the resolution said. "The new assessments generate more opportunity for anxiety than growth."

“My first responsibility as a superintendent is not education...it’s safety,” Rella added. “We have to provide a safe environment.”